Companies today attempt a wide variety of lead generation programs—like telesales and email blasts, to name a few—many with low success rates. I recently took an informal poll and asked a few tech companies how they typically generate real business opportunities. Their answer: referrals.

No doubt. Optimism has become inextricably linked with technology startups. Retelling the legends of tech companies that made billions for their founders – and what intrepid embracer of risk doesn’t see him or herself as being the next addition to the pantheon – we won’t get far without hearing how optimism over obstacle proved to be the difference. If you had a drink for every tech CEO who listed optimism as a critical trait, you would be more inebriated than listening to Sting sing ‘Roxanne’.

[ At the end of 2015, NJTechWeekly.com published two stories about what’s missing in the NJ Tech ecosystem. Subsequently, we also published the results of LaunchNJ’s survey on “Starting up in the Garden State.” In this opinion piece, Jim Barrood, President and CEO of the New Jersey Tech Council, talks about his take on these issues and what the Tech Council is doing to help the New Jersey technology entrepreneurial startup ecosystem.]

It’s 2016 and probably safe to assume that most business professionals have some form of social media account for themselves or their business. Social media has long been established as not only a viable, but also a critical form of business communication—and it’s not going away any time soon. Let’s talk about some best practices as we move into the new year.